Among them

Chapter four

Rose

My clock beeps, telling me to go to the lords. Thinking about what they want from me this late, I make my way through the corridors and into the central. I did nothing wrong, right? They wouldn't have a reason to punish me, would they? But they are able to create reasons out of nowhere, which I experienced too often, well maybe I should start to pray already.

Arriving at the huge white door with too many squiggles, I knock twice, before entering the room. Inside, Tristan is sitting on a bright white arm chair.

"Good evening, sir. You called for me?"

"Yes, indeed, Rose. I have something to talk to you about.", his features are grave, as usual, as he points at an old wooden chair, forcing me to sit there with his eyes alone.

Shit, that's not how it was supposed to go along like. I slowly let my body sink in that chair, carefully not to make it break, catching an envious thought on how it would feel to sit in his huge arm chair.

I fold my hands neatly in my lab, keeping them from trembling this way.

"Rose", he exhales deeply, "I have a job for you. It includes my sister, which you were already able to meet, am I correct?"

"Yeah, I saw her in the corridor, just like a few minutes ago.", I stutter, after all these years, or because of all these years, I'm still afraid of him and his brothers. But especially Arian, I guess.

I structure the information in my head. It's no surprise they know everything that happened, they have cameras all around, but a sister is new... Would she be just like them? And what job would I have to do?

"I figured. Well, your job contains being her personal waiter, you look for her well-being, obey anything she wishes, you understand?", he asks, smiling down at me in an arrogant way.

"I do, sir. Anything else?", I smile a polite smile, wishing he'd say no and I could leave already.

"Yes, I want you to be our spy. Find out as much as you can about her. Pretend to be her friend or do anything necessary to get information. Got it?", he requests, his stare fixing me onto that uncomfortable chair.

They want me to spy on their own sister? I didn't know human beings could be that cruel.

"Of course, sir.", I stand up and step away from the chair, ready to leave.

He takes a step to me to whisper into my ear: „And don't you dare tell her anything about this, Rose. I hope your life is worthy enough for you to do as I said. Or should I pick Isabella's. Poor little girl, she's all alone. What a pity if something happened to her."

"Don't you dare take her name into your mouth.", I exclaim, shocked by my urgent confidence.

"Oh, Rose, I wouldn't speak to me like that, you know. Since I am the one holding all the power. Don't you forget? I could just stop paying her money. She would be dead in a matter of days. I wouldn't mind.", he states, like he isn't talking about my little sister but grocery shopping. No, they wouldn't even know what a grocery shop is.

"Apologizes, I don't know what run me back then, I am deeply sorry. I insist on you paying her bills, please. That is all I will ever wish for. Nothing more, just that. ", I beg.

Isabella's young innocent face crosses my mind. The last time I saw her. At that time, I didn't know anything odd would happen. I didn't know it would be the last time to see my sister. I was naïve, thinking nothing could divide us. But then I was brought here. Not voluntarily, obviously. And now I spent three years of my life inside these walls. My sister probably grew up a lot. She is attending school, probably. I wonder whether she still thinks about me. Whether she remembers me. I mean, with the age of three, one does not really recall much. I deeply wonder how she looks. Whether her appearance and mindset changed. What her favorite color is. Does she have friends? Is she dancing in the rain and wheeling in the autumn leaves? Collecting memories no one can rob her?